Recipes fResh fRom the gaRden

IRISH STEW
JudE BLEREau — WHoLE Food CooKING
WWW.WHoLEFoodCooKING.CoM.au
GLuTEN FREE
This is a classic example of thrifty cooking and reflects the truth
that to eat well does not mean you need to spend a lot of money.
Lamb necks are cheap, meaty, exceptionally nourishing, tender
and taste great. They enable you to buy meat that is ethically
raised in a sustainable fashion. This is a classic soupy, stew of a
meal, where the humble cut of neck, rich with bone and marrow
transfers its bounty of nourishing goodness to the surrounding
broth. Parsnip when in season is a must have addition. you could
be entirely decadent and serve this drizzled with herb butter —
especially stuffed a little into any potatoes that are still whole.
otherwise, simply sprinkle with the parsley and chives. you can
easily do this dish in a slow cooker, but I would do the basic sauté
in a pan over heat, as you will get a better flavour and will most
likely need to reduce the liquid over a high heat at the end.
NuTRITIoN NoTES
If you can use a lovely home made, well gelatinised chicken stock
you will not only make the meal easier to digest, but enable your
body to use more of the protein in the stock and the meat.
Ingredients
prepare the meal the
night before
2 tbsp organic pearled
barley soaked overnight
in water to cover by 2cm
with 1 tsp whey or 2 tsp
yoghurt.
Ingredients
the next day
2 tsp butter or ghee
1 medium onion, cut in
half and finely sliced
2 small leeks (or 1 larger
leek), finely sliced and
well washed
1 good size stem fresh
thyme roughly torn
3 cloves garlic, roughly
chopped
4 sticks celery roughly cut
6 medium carrots sliced
on the diagonal about 2
cm thick
1 or 2 small potatoes per
person, if large, cut in half
6–8 pieces of neck (best
end), on the bone, fat
trimmed
Sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper
to taste
Herbs as followed, tied
together:
3 stems parsley, 1 stem
fresh marjoram and
thyme, leaves still on, 3
bay leaves
1/2–1 tsp tamari
Handful each flat leaf
parsley and chives, finely
chopped for serving
Herb Butter
60g unsalted butter,
softened
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley,
finely chopped
Small handful fresh
chives, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely
chopped
Method
1. Preheat the oven to
150°C (or 140°C fan
forced).
2. Strain the barley from
the water, discarding
the water.
3. Using a 28cm French
oven add just a little
butter and sauté
the leek, thyme and
onion over a gentle
heat for 2–3 minutes,
then add the garlic
and cook for another
minute. Remove 1/2
into a bowl and set
aside.
4. Having prepared the
other ingredients,
begin to assemble the
stew: Place half the
carrots and celery on
top of the onion mix,
topped by 3–4 pieces
of neck followed by
half the potato.
5. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper, half the
barley and top this
with the fresh herbs.
Repeat the layering
with the remaining
onion mix, carrots,
celery, meat, barley
and potatoes.
6. Add the tamari and
enough water (or
stock) to barely cover
the stew. Cover with
a lid and place in a
moderate oven and
cook for a minimum of
4 hours.
7. Remove from oven
and take off lid —
then skim as much
fat as possible from
the broth. Remove the
meat, place in a dish
and cover.
8. Return the pot to the
stove and place over
a medium-high heat
for about 15–30 mins,
to slightly reduce.
The potatoes should
be partly broken
down, also helping
to thicken the broth.
Return the meat to
the pot, and sprinkle
liberally with chopped
parsley and chives.
9. To make the herb
butter mix all
ingredients together.
If you have any left
over, this will keep
well, covered in the
fridge.
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